'Girl with a Pearl Earring' is the first feature by television director Peter Webber, an
award-winning documentary director who later moved on to drama where he directed Channel 4's mini-series 'Men Only' and BBC's 'The Stretford Wives'. His new movie is set in Delft in 1665. It tells the story of Greet, a 17-year-old girl sent to work - and work she certainly does - as a maid in the great painter Vermeer's house. She is played by Scarlett Johansson, currently appearing with another older man, Bill Murray, in 'Lost in Translation'. When he finally appears, Vermeer is played by heart-throb Colin Firth, and there's a certain chemistry between himself and poor, young Greet . . .

It's just over 10 years since the Irish Museum of Modern Art mounted an exhibition of photographs by the late John Hinde, an event that made people think afresh about all those postcards from their childhood. Once Hinde himself had become established in the late Fifties and early Sixties, he began to recruit
other talented photographers whose job was to follow his highly stylised formula. Three such snappers, Elmar Ludwig and Edmund Nagele from Germany and Britain's David Noble, were responsible for a large series of photos produced by Hinde for the Butlin's holiday camp empire in the late Sixties and early Seventies. These pictures are now on show at the Gallery of Photography in Temple Bar in an exhibition called 'Our True Intent is All for Your Delight'.

The Panel discusses 'Our True Intent is All for Your Delight'

The Film: A Mighty Wind

The actor Christopher Guest was one of the stars of Rob Reiner's memorable 1984 'mockumentary' 'This is Spinal Tap' but he's also a busy screenwriter, composer and director. Despite beginning his film career in movies like 'Death Wish' and 'The Long Riders', he is best-known for comedies and in addition to
'Spinal Tap' he popped up in 'Little Shop of Horrors', 'The Princess Bride' and his own debut as director, 1989's 'The Big Picture'. Since then he wrote and directed
'Waiting for Guffman' and the dog show spoof 'Best in Show'. His new film is a return to his musical roots. It's a parody of the US folk music industry, and it tells the tale of three folk acts who come together for a reunion gig after their mentor dies. The dialogue is improvised and the cast includes Guest himself, Bob Balaban, Catherine O'Hara and Parker Posey.

The Panel discusses 'A Mighty Wind'

The Book: Stevenson Under the Palm Trees

The writer Alberto Manguel was born in Argentina but has lived in Israel, Italy, England, Tahiti, Canada and is now based in France. All this cultural diversity is reflected in his work, so it's perhaps no surprise that his bestselling book, 'A History of Reading' has been translated into 26 languages. Just published in English is his novella, 'Stevenson Under the Palm Trees', a mixing of fantasy and realism whose central character is the author Robert Louis Stevenson. The story takes place during Stevenson's last days on the island of Samoa. He meets a fellow Scot, a puritanical missionary who closely resembles him. Then several horrible crimes are committed on the Island and Stevenson falls under suspicion.

The Panel discusses Alberto Manguel's 'Stevenson Under the Palm Trees'

The Film: World Cup Final, Germany v Brazil, 0-2

The German photographer Juergen Teller moved to London in the early 1980s and made a name for himself working for publications such as I-D, The Face, Index and W Magazine. Since then he has become one of the stars of fashion and celebrity photography, with a number of big-selling monographs and numerous solo shows around the world. Last year he won the Citibank Photography Prize, and today the first exhibition of his work opened in Ireland. Temple Bar Outdoors is showing two of his film works in Meeting House Square between now and the
end of the month. 'World Cup Final, Germany v Brazil, 0-2' is an uncut film showing Teller himself watching a whole soccer match and as the artist himself says, it's a bit disturbing. Well you can judge for yourself, but here's a little taste of the film which runs until Saturday in Meeting House Square and then again at the end of the month.